Saturday, May 13, 2017

How Jesus Transformed the God of the Jews from a Fearsome Terrorist into a Good Psychiatrist

The laws of the excluded middle and contradiction do not undermine monotheism, they demand it. They undermine the trinity which is rank paganism. Logic can be seen as negative theology (what God isn’t) while revelation is positive theology (what God is)... We can observe the infinite regress of divine powers in the Catholic Church in ways such as Mary being called “The Mother of God”, calling Anne “The Grandmother of God”, the Immaculate Conception not only of Jesus but of Mary along with her perpetual virginity, the never ending litany of new Saints, doctrinal infallibility...

Today, no one with a reasonably broad education can accept that an anthropoid ape was the mother of the entity responsible for the creation of the universe, whether that entity be of single or a triple personality. Equally, the idea that the creator of the universe cares about being praised by a bunch of jumped-up talking apes is absurd.Thus, the future of Christianity, if it has one, will be based not on an understanding of arcane and utterly useless theological debates, but on sociology.

Caravaggio: Nativita, stolen from the the Oratory of San Lorenzo in Palermo. (Source)

Jesus provided the basis for such a religion. He taught his followers to pray, not to that ignorant, vain, sadistic tyrant, Yahweh, but to a God who has the personality of a loving father. Jesus thus transformed the god of the Jews from a fearsome terrorist and incompetent bully into the equivalent of a good psychiatrist. God thus became someone with whom one could talk and, in the process, work out one's problems. As that Victorian atheist Winston Churchill remarked, "In times of fear and perplexity I pray to God. It helps. It helps a lot."

In addition, Jesus provided the other element that is essential to a socially constructive religion. He affirmed the basic rules of successful social interaction: forgive those who irk you, they know they have harmed you and will be grateful if you do not punish them for their transgressions and will work more helpfully with you in the future. And, in general, adhere to the ten commandments and treat your neighbor as you would have him treat you.